Are you
experiencing radiating pain in your shoulders, knee, elbow, and hip? Do you
notice tenderness when you press around that joint? If you do, maybe you
are suffering from bursitis.
Bursitis Facts
● Overuse or too much
physical activity of the muscles can lead to bursitis. It will flare up for no
known reason. It may occur at the knee or elbow, from kneeling or leaning on
the elbows longer than usual on a hard surface.
● The danger signs of
bursitis are worsening of pain, redness, swelling, or sudden inability to
move a joint.
● Bursitis could last from a
few days to several weeks.
● Rest, ice, compression, and elevation is an immediate treatment for bursitis.
● Another option the doctor
does is to remove the test fluid from the inflamed area. They also prescribe
antibiotics in the case of infection caused by bursitis.
What is Bursitis?
The condition
is known as bursitis when there are inflammation and swelling of the bursa. It
becomes infected, traumatized, or injured. The human body has over 150 bursae.
Bursa is a fluid-filled sac or saclike cavity, especially one countering
friction at a joint. It helps joints move more by allowing muscles and tendons
to glide over bone and others. This is your body’s shock absorber so the speak.
Types of bursitis
Bursitis
occurs anywhere in the body where bursae are located. When a person
has bursitis or inflammation of the bursa, any movement or pressure is usually
painful.
● Anterior Achilles tendon bursitis - This type of bursitis has
symptoms such as swelling, pain, warmth, and a soft spot at the back of the
heel.
● Posterior Achilles tendon bursitis - It is also called
Haglund's deformity in between the skin of the heel and the Achilles tendon.
● Hip Bursitis - It is usually the result of injury, arthritis,
overuse, spinal abnormalities, and surgery. This type of bursitis is particular
among women, middle-aged, and older people.
● Elbow bursitis - Constant pressure the inflammation
between the skin and bones elbow cause of pain.
● Knee
bursitis - It is also known as goosefoot bursitis; Pes Anserine bursitis
occurs in the knee. The inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac (bursa)
situated near your knee joint.
● Kneecap bursitis - People to suffer from this type of
bursitis are those who sit on their knees a lot, plumbers, and carpet layers.
Causes of
Bursitis
● Injury - The tissue inside the bursa is the common cause of
inflammation.
● Overuse of joints, tendons, or muscles near the bursa.
● Infection - Bursitis caused by an infected cut on the skin.
Such as those near the elbow, where the bacteria have the opportunity to get
in, tend to be in bursae.
● Health conditions Illnesses that exacerbate bursitis include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma.
Symptoms and Signs
Bursitis can
have the following symptoms:
1. Pain that increases that
leaves you unable to move
2. There's a sign of
tenderness, swelling, redness, fever, and redness.
3. The feeling of hotness in
the affected area and the affected when touched.
4. If an infection causes
bursitis, we called it septic bursitis.
Diagnosis
A doctor will
begin by first reviewing a person's medical history and symptoms.
A physical
exam must do to cut the possibility of a more severe condition.
There will be
a need for more tests and studies to check
for abnormalities associated with the bursa.
Tests
include:
· X-ray, for broken or
fractured bones
· Blood tests, to assess
for rheumatoid arthritis
· A CT scan or MRI to see
if there is a torn tendon.
Some of the methods used to treat bursitis include the following:
● Nutritional therapy
As emphasized
by naturopaths and nutritionists, diet is the underlying cause of bursitis.
The leading cause is the incorrect use of calcium by the body, food allergies, and magnesium.
Herbal
therapy
Herbs or plant products are also useful for the treatment of bursitis.
The following include:
· Curcumin (turmeric)
· Bromelain (an enzyme found in
pineapple)
· Ginger
· Grape-seed extract
· Pine-bark extract
· Citrus bioflavonoids
● Homeopathy
Homeopathic
remedies for bursitis include Belladonna,
Bryonies, and Rhus Toxicodendron.
● Cold Therapy
The application of
ice after an injury helps decrease the inflammation of acute bursitis.
● Acupuncture
Proven
effective in treating bursitis, especially on the painful shoulder and hip.
● Chiropractic
Spinal
manipulation, a chiropractor of the pressure in the affected joints. May help
relieve and improve the movement.
● Massage
Massage can also relieve localized pain
and inflammation in the affected area.
● Allopathic treatment
Conservative
treatment of bursitis is usually adequate.
● Corticosteroid injection may also be done for severe pain.
● Heat Therapy Apply a heating pad, or cooling pads to reduce
inflammation and to help manage pain in the affected area,
● Physical therapy exercises are helpful to improve motion and
strengthen the muscles.
● Surgery Invasive techniques can be done through the removal of their
bursa if the symptoms have not yet improved within 12 months.
Prevention
The following
tips are recommended for preventing bursitis:
❏ Protect vulnerable
parts of the body.
❏ Warm up or stretch before physical activity. It is good to
warm up for at least 5 to 10 minutes before vigorous exercise.
❏ Maintain a healthy weight. Being obese or overweight puts
extra stress on the joints which causes pain.
❏ Practice good posture and position the body when going about
your daily activities.
It is an excellent idea to visit a doctor to check out other causes of your pain. Differentiating between non-infected and infected bursitis is important to avoid it from becoming a debilitating and severe condition.
